Why you should not overschedule your child

You will not deny how exhausted you become when you have tensed shoulders and short tempers especially when there’s zero downtime throughout the day. Children are the same in fact they get more affected. Additional to schooling, when you enrol them in sports, after-school activities, and social commitments – all of these jobs drain your little one’s energy with divided attention. Switching from one activity to another too quickly, or constantly channelising his energies with no rest, can do more harm than good. We always end up fighting with time and sending our kids to multiple classes from dance class to karate lessons just to help them to be well-rounded, discover their passions, have a competitive edge and make friends.

It is fair to say “I don’t want my kids to be left behind”. But it’s believed that the most important activity during a child’s growing years is free to play. It is not only essential for your children to become better at problem-solving and making decisions but also for self-regulation.

When we adults have free time to do what we want, don’t we get rejuvenated? Similarly, having time to simply play reduces stress and increases happiness in children. And now that kids are busy surfing most of their time on social media at increasingly younger ages, the pressure to participate in physical playing has been increasing.

So, How do you deal with this?
It is very easy to fall into the overschedule trap especially when you see other children posing on a sports ground and giggling away. We advise you to move away from the do-do-do mantra to the do-what-you-want mantra. it’s completely the job and responsibility of the parent to ensure their children don’t fall into the over-scheduling trap.

Before we directly jump to the solutions, let’s find out how to identify if you are overscheduling your kids!

Signs you are overscheduling your kids

1. Reduced Interest:

If your child is losing interest in activities that they once used to enjoy, then one of the reasons might be that they are over-scheduled and stressed. Most of the times children find it stressful to speak up about their needs for rest. This mostly happens because they want us parents to be happy with them. If your children have no interest in previous things they once used to enjoy, then dear parents, please pay attention. It’s high time that they need to cut back on some activities.

2. Frequent Burnouts:

There are many more signs to identify an overscheduled kid this being the most hazardous. If they don’t have time for social life (at least for an hour or two) it’s going to be more difficult for them to learn how just to be themselves. Did you know, it’s actually good for kids to be bored once in a while or sit and watch the paint on the wall dry? The reason is, this will lead your children to nurture their creative spurts and can also help recharge so that they can process whatever they have learned throughout the day more efficiently.

3. Academic Downfall:

A final sign they are over-scheduled is that they start showing poor performance in school. If a child doesn’t have regular downtime and time free from scheduled commitments, then burnout is a real threat that can affect the future badly.

Tips to avoid overscheduling your kids

Learning how to craft a balanced schedule that allows time for play as well as rest is an important skill to possess. At the same time, it’s critical to make sure that the schedule has dedicated time for downtime and time for self-care.
Here are a few tips to achieve this balance.

1. Prioritize activities:

Before you add another activity to your child’s busy day, pause, and look back to what’s already on your kid’s schedule. It’s too natural to want to finish it all, but saying yes to everything will only exhaust them, reducing their time with family. If you can help them manage another addition, consider it. If you can’t, then it’s time to prioritize and leave some activities for later.

2. Don’t allow them to be the jack of all:

As a parent you need to give it a thought, Does the added activity bring more joy and energy into your child’s life, or does it create conflicts and anxiety? Enrolling them in multiple competitive sports just because your neighbour’s kid attends is the worst ideology you can have. Instead, ask them if they find it interesting and then enrol them for higher coaching in something very specific. This will not only make your child feel a sense of pride but also will help him develop a competitive spirit throughout life’s endeavours.

3. Don’t play the comparison game:

If other kids in your family/society are overscheduled, that doesn’t mean you must also overschedule your kid. Kids obviously share their experiences with one another and this can create conflict between them. In such a situation, ask your child to respond maturely and fade the topic away.

4. Encourage Personality Development:

Kids need hobbies, just like adults. Private or personal activities that don’t have to be shared with others can be soothing, pleasurable, and often teach kids to become more focused. If your child loves to bake, knit, build models, or peer at the stars, support those interests, buy them all the ingredients, pretty yarn, three types of glue, or the slightly better telescope. By doing this, you are saying to them: ‘I see you, and I support the person you are becoming.’ After all, who doesn’t want to be praised and recognized? Everyone does! And so are your kids. This way you can help them overcome overscheduling and stress.

5. Keep on watch on signs of overdoing:

Is your child happily content or often tired and irritable? Do you have a mutual admiration society at home, or are family members always sniping at each other? Is everyone sleeping well at night, or is exhaustion the norm? Are you in charge of the schedule, or do stress and pressure run the show? Whatever it is, please remember that your tots deserve to feel calm and content. So, don’t you think the way you take charge of how you spend your time and your children matters a lot?

Food for thought:

As parents, we all need to take a step back and reassess what is becoming normal and the expectations we are inheriting. Are you overscheduling your kids because you think it will benefit their lives and their future? Or are you jumping on the bandwagon, trying to fit in with the other moms? Take a look at your motives behind before giving your kids multiple activities and sports. You need to ask your child if that’s what they really feel like doing. Chances are, in their free time, they will play games, draw pictures, pretend, have tea parties, play computer games, plan adventures, and actually play with their toys.

Summing up:

More than anything, your kids need you. And kids need time to be kids. Stop making them adults in their teens. It just adds more pressure on their fragile minds. It’s proven that an ideal mind can think more creatively compared to an over-occupied mind. Allow that space for your children to think on their own, you never know a new world-class innovation may bump up.

ALL THE BEST!